The physics, simply put

An interior blind manages heat that's already inside the room. An external venetian intercepts most of it before it ever reaches the glass. On the big north- and west-facing walls that Plattekloof's view homes are built around, that difference is the whole argument — the indoor temperature gap between a shaded and an unshaded elevation is dramatic, which is exactly why serious architects and glass-heavy buildings specify exterior shading rather than relying on curtains alone.

These are wide aluminium slats (typically in the 60–90mm class) running in guided side rails or cables, tilting and raising to steer light the same way an interior venetian does — except the heat it's blocking never makes it past the facade.

  • Wide aluminium slats in guided side rails, powder-coated for weather exposure
  • Effectively always motorised, with a wind sensor for automatic retract in gusts
  • Needs facade fixing points — retrofit is possible on most suitable elevations
  • Tilt for filtered light, raise fully for an unobstructed view when the sun's not the problem

Honest limitation

This is a facade change, not just a window dressing — some estates and body corporates want to see the finish and profile before work starts. We supply the documentation most approval processes ask for.

Why they suit the ridge

Plattekloof stands were laid out to capture the view, which typically means large, hard-to-shade west or north-west glass — the same glass that turns a lounge into an oven by four in the afternoon for months of the year. External venetians are the honest fix for that specific problem, on the walls where an interior sunscreen roller alone isn't quite enough. Because Cape Town's summer south-easter reaches into the northern suburbs too, wind-sensor auto-retract isn't an upsell here — it's how the investment survives its first storm season.